Reactive Dyes


Reactive dyes are a class of highly coloured organic substances, primarily used for tinting textiles, that attach themselves to their substrates by a chemical reaction that forms a covalent bond between the molecule of dye and that of the fibre. The dyestuff thus becomes a part of the fibre and is much less likely to be removed by washing than are dyestuffs that adhere by adsorption.

The first fibre reactive dyes were designed for cellulose fibres, and they are still used mostly in this way. There are also commercially available fibre reactive dyes for protein and polyamide fibres. In theory, fibre reactive dyes have been developed for other fibres, but these are not yet practical commercially.

The dyes contain a reactive group that, when applied to a fibre in a weakly alkaline dyebath, form a chemical bond with the fibre. Reactive dyes can also be used to dye wool and nylon, in the latter case they are applied under weakly acidic conditions.

The most important characteristic of reactive dyes is the formation of covalent bonds with the substrate to be coloured, i.e. the dye forms a chemical bond with cellulose, which is the main component of cotton fibers.

Fiber reactive dyes are the most permanent of all dye types. Unlike other dyes, it actually forms a covalent bond with the cellulose or protein molecule. Once the bond is formed, what you have is one molecule, as the dye molecule has become an actual part of the cellulose fiber molecule.

No wonder you can safely wash a garment that has been dyed in bright fiber reactive colours with white clothing, a hundred times, without endangering the whites in the least - even if it is all different bright colours, or even solid black! In contrast to all other dyes the reactive dyes bind chemically to the textile fibres, significantly improving the product's colour stability and washability. Thus reactive dying of cotton is currently the most widespread textile dying process in the world.

Reactive Cold Dyes FASTNESS PROPERTIES
Light Washing Perspiration Hypochlorite Dischargeability
Reactive Red M5B
Reactive Red - 2
  4-5 4-5 3-4 1 P
Reactive Red M8B
Reactive Red - 11
  4-5 4-5 2 4 P
Reactive Magenta MB
Reactive Violet - 13
  4-5 5 4-5 1 F
Reactive Orange M2R
Reactive Orange - 4
  5 5 4 4 P
Reactive Orange M2RJ
 
  3-4 4 4 4-5 P
Reactive Gol. Yellow MR
Reactive Yellow - 44
  5 4-5 4 1 P
Reactive Yellow MR EX H/C
Reactive Yellow - 44
  5 4-5 4 1 P
Reactive Yellow M3R
Reactive Yellow - 36
  6 5 4 2 G
Reactive Yellow M4R
Reactive Orange - 14
  5 4-5 4 1 P
Reactive Yellow M8G
Reactive Yellow - 86
  6 4-5 4-5 1 G
Reactive Yellow M4G
Reactive Yellow - 22
  6 4 5 1 G
Reactive Yellow MGR
Reactive Yellow - 7
  6 5 4-5 4-5 P
Reactive Violet C4R
Reactive Violet - 12
  4 3 4 1 P
Reactive Violet C2R
Reactive Violet - 14
  3-4 3 4 1 P
Reactive Blue MR
Reactive Blue - 4
  6 5 5 2 P
Reactive Blue M2R
Reactive Blue - 81
  6 5 4-5 1 P
Reactive Blue M2R H/C
Reactive Blue - 81
  6 5 4-5 1 P
Reactive Navy Blue M3R
Reactive Blue - 9
  5 4-5 3 3 P
Reactive Blue M4GD H/C
Reactive Blue - 168
  6 5 3-4 2 P
Reactive Tur. Blue MGN
Reactive Blue - 140
  6 4 4 2-3 P
Reactive Tur. Blue Ha5G
Reactive Blue - 71
  6 3-4 4-5 3-4 P

Reactive 'HE' Dyes FASTNESS PROPERTIES
Light Washing Perspiration Hypochlorite Dischargeability
Reactive Yellow HE6G
Reactive Yellow - 135
  4-5 4 4 1 G
Reactive Yellow HE4R
Reactive Yellow - 81
  5-6 5 4-5 1-2 G
Reactive Yellow HE4R
Reactive Yellow - 84
  5-6 5 4-5 2-3 P
Reactive G. Yellow HE4R
Reactive Yellow - 81-A
  5 5 4-5 3-4 P
Reactive Orange HER
Reactive Orange - 84
  3-4 4 4 4-5 P
Reactive Orange HE2R
Reactive Orange - 84-A
  3-4 4 4 4-5 P
Reactive Red HE3B
Reactive Red - 120
  5 5 4-5 1 P
Reactive Red HE5B
 
  4-5 5 5 3 P
Reactive Red HE7B
Reactive Red - 141
  4-5 5 5 3 P
Reactive Red HE8B
Reactive Red - 152
  4-5 5 5 3-4 P
Reactive Green HE 4B
Reactive Green - 19
  4 4-5 4-5 1 F
Reactive Green HE 4BD
Reactive Green - 19A
  4 5 4-5 1 F
Reactive Black HEBL
 
  4 5 4 3 P
Reactive Navy Blue HER
Reactive Blue - 171
  4 5 4 1-2 F
Reactive Navy Blue HE2R
Reactive Blue - 172
  4 4-5 4 2 F
Reactive Blue HERD
Reactive Blue - 160
  6 5 4 3 F
Reactive Navy Blue HEGN
Reactive Blue - 198
  4-5 4-5 3-4 3 F